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This game has been hyped up all week, especially after Duke’s losses. As of this point in the the season, the Tigers and Vols have proven themselves to be the two best teams in the country. Tonight is the start of what could be a great in-state rivalry. Both teams are led by coaches with huge egos. Everyone has called this the game of the year.

By definition, this game stands a 70-80% chance of being a disappointing blowout. I like those odds. Let’s watch.

9:05 pm: Tennessee has so many Smiths on the roster, Dan Schulman can’t tell them apart.

9:06 pm: 4-0, UT. JaJuan Smith hits the open three in the corner after the Vols outhustled Memphis on at least three loose balls. Calipari sees their flat play and calls a timeout 35 seconds into the game.

9:08 pm: 7-6, UT. Unless something changes soon, this game could become a shooting contest. JaJuan and Derrick Rose have hit two each.

9:09 pm: 9-9. Antonio Anderson with another 3! This game has been insanely fast for the first two minutes.

9:10 pm: 11-9, UT. Ramar Smith is getting some easy shots inside.

9:12 pm: For the first two minutes, the Tigers couldn’t miss. Right now, they’ve missed their last 4 or 5 shots.

9:14 pm: 14-11, Memphis. Chris Douglas-Roberts gets his first shot of the game, and he hits a three.

17-11, Memphis. Antonio Anderson hits another one!

9:15 pm: 17-14, Memphis. And then JaJuan Smith hits another one!

9:16 pm: 20-14, Memphis. Is anyone going to hit a two point shot tonight?

9:40 pm: 31-26, Memphis. Chris Lofton has yet to score a point in this game, and we’re near halftime.

9:46 pm: 33-26, Memphis. The following demonstrates the the shooting of both teams so far in this game…

The first ten minutes:

And the second ten minutes:

9:50 pm: 35-32, Memphis. Tennessee gets back within a possession thanks in part to their free throw shooting.

9:52 pm: And we hit halftime. Memphis leads, 35-34 in a slightly sloppy but otherwise exciting game. To win, the Tigers need to either get the threes falling again or start driving at the Vols’ small interior defense. The Vols, meanwhile, must get Chris Lofton involved in their offense and cut down on turnovers.

The Vols seem to be playing smarter basketball in the second half when J.P. Prince is on the floor.

10:37 pm: 50-47, UT. Now that Chism is hobbling a bit and the threes aren’t falling, Memphis is attacking the paint with a bit more impetus. Right now, that’s what’s keeping them in the game.

10:40 pm: Joey Dorsey picks up his fourth foul. Worse for him, he is simultaneously balding and trying to get away with cornrows.

10:42 pm: 53-47, UT. Prince with another key basket in transition. Memphis is forced to take another timeout, and they now have only one left for the remainder of the game.

10:45 pm: 53-49, UT. Under 8 minutes left in the second half. On ESPN2: guys impaling the faces of fish. Juuuuuuuust thought you should know.

10:49 pm: In 12 minutes, the Tigers have scored 14 points. They have yet to hit a three in the second half.

54-51, UT, 7:23 left. If Memphis wins this game, it will be on the shoulders of Derrick Rose.

10:50 pm: 56-53, 6:38 left. Suddenly these two teams are exchanging drives inside. It’s the exact opposite of the first half.

10:51 pm: 58-55, 5:38 left. Just as Dozier brings Memphis to within one, J.P. Prince makes another huge play in transition.

10:52 pm: 58-57, 4:59 left. Derick Rose is exhausted, but he simply will not let his team lose.

10:54 pm: 4:12 left. Andre Allen goes to the line with a chance to tie.

…Naturally, he misses them both. Such is the dilemma with Memphis.

10:58 pm: 59-58, Memphis, 3:20 left. Memphis takes the lead thanks to a baseline shot by, who else, Derrick Rose. He now has 22.

11:00 pm: 2:55 left. The charity stripe continues to fail the Tigers.

11:02 pm: 61-58, 2:19 left. Derrick Rose with the perfectly run fast break, and CDR with the finish…but he gets hurt on the play. Not good for the Tigers.

11;03 pm: 61-60, 1:57 left. Agent Tyler with the basket inside, and Tennessee makes it a one point game again.

1:10 left. What a play by Rose to keep the ball in Memphis’s hands with one minute to go.

:41.5 left. Great passing, but Memphis can;t convert, as they miss an easy look. Tennessee ball.

26.5 left. Tennessee with the basket to take the lead back! It’s agent Tyler with another huge basket.

:8.8 left. Memphis can’t get a good shot, and are forced to foul J.P. Prince.

What a game this has been. Certainly a game that lived up to its in-state #1 vs. #2 hype.

:2.9 left, 64-61, UT. Tennessee makes the smart play and fouls Rose before he can make a shot. He makes the first and intentionally makes the second, but Memphis can’t get the offensive rebound, and are forced to foul Chris Lofton.

11:13 pm: Lofton hits his free throws, and the game is over. Tennessee wins, 66-62, and will be #1 in the country for the first time in school history. Memphis played as hard a game as they could, and Derrick Rose had a performance for the ages. But three aspect of the game faile3d the Tigers tonight. The Vols got more offensive rebounds, Memphis couldn’t hit a three pointer in the second half, and they were 8-17 from the free throw line.

Overall, it was an unbelievably exciting game that lives up to the hype.

Miami vs. #5 Oklahoma (12:00 ET, ABC): Randy Shannon’s first true test at Miami. Will the Hurricanes begin returning to their old, dominant form this season? The weather conditions are certainly in their favor (heat, humidity, and rain); we could see an upset.

#16 Nebraska vs. Wake Forest (12:00 ET, ESPN): Wake Forest will really be hurting in this game, as QB Riley Skinner won’t play due to a hand injury. The huskers should dominate on paper, but I can’t help but wonder if Nebraska is looking ahead to USC.

NC State vs. Boston College (2:30 ET, ESPN2): Tom O’Brien returns to his old digs. How will the BC crowd receive him? NC State can definitely pull of the upset here; O’Brien is playing against, in essence, his own system.

South Carolina vs. #11 Georgia (5:45 ET, ESPN2): Blake Mitchell, Dance Machine is back from suspension just in time for the Gamecock’s season opener against Georgia. How much of a difference will he make?

I saw that sign on College GameDay this morning, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Jimmy Clausen’s gonna have a rough day today.#9 Virginia Tech vs. #2 LSU (9:15 ET, ESPN): Already dubbed the “Tragedy Bowl”, the ESPN coverage might be insufferable. But the game should be excellent, especially on defense. Virginia Tech did not impress in their home opener however, and I doubt that any non-SEC team can beat the Tigers at home this year.

This is UNC’s first true test, on the road against a winning team that considers the Tar Heels their mortal enemy. How UNC’s young starters respond to the hostile environment will likely determine the outcome of this game.

Today Memphis plays Ohio State in the South Regional Final in San Antonio. Memphis will try to use their deep bench and fast game pace to run the Buckeyes Ragged. Ohio State cannot allow the Tigers to get far ahead in the game like in their previous two contests. They will need a big day from Greg Oden, especially on defense, and guards like Mike Conley, Ron Lewis and Jamar Butler need to hit the three. Winner plays North Carolina…hopefully.

4:41 pm: 2-0, OSU. Off the tipoff, Greg Oden gets the ball inside and his shot rolls in for the first points of the game.

4:43 pm: 4-0, OSU. The Big Ten this year has seemed to be a slow, halfcourt, defense oriented league. However, Ohio State seems very comfortable with a fast-paced game. Memphis may not have expected this.

4:47 pm: 8-2, OSU. It takes nearly five minutes for the Tigers to get their first basket, a drive in layup by Antonio Anderson.

Memphis seems very uncomfortable with Ohio State’s defense.

4:51 pm: Andre Allen of the Tigers has two personal fouls. The last one was questionable; it looks like he took the ball clean from Oden.

4:52 pm: 9-5, OSU. Jeremy Hunt hits a three for the Tigers.

The Tigers are starting to play more aggressively on offense.

4:55 pm: 9-8, OSU. Memphis is coming back, as Hunt has been sent twice to the free throw line. Memphis had by far the worst free throw shooting of anyone in the field of 65, but they’ve shot well in this tournament.

Oden has been out for the last few minutes, and the Tigers have really attacked the rim in his absence.

4:57 pm: 10-9, Memphis. The Tigers take the lead after Hunt hits two free throws.

4:59 pm: 13-11, Memphis. Hunt penetrates the lane, and he kicks out to an open Willie Kemp for three.

Conley drives in 10 seconds later and gets a layup to tie the game.

5:00 pm: 17-15, OSU. It looks like Oden tipped in a basket for Memphis there. He definitely makes up for it on the next possession.

It seems to me that the effectiveness of the Buckeyes’ gameplan depends on whether or not they can force turnovers. During the stretch when they couldn’t get any TOs, Memphis dominated.

5:06 pm: 20-17, Memphis. Joey Dorsey and Oden are both on the bench with 2 fouls.

5:09 pm: 23-21, Memphis. Doneal Mack hits another three for Memphis to take the lead back.

5:10 pm: 23-23. 6:23 left in the first half.

Conley keeps driving inside. He hasn’t even lookedto kick it out to another guard for a three.

5:13 pm: CBS, who the hell is MEMP? That abbreviation makes no sense.

5:14 pm: 26-24, Memphis. Hunt hits a three from outerspace basketball range. He has 16 today.

5:15 pm: 29-26, OSU. The Buckeyes finally kick out a pass from the inside to a guard for an open three. Butler hits it and give them back the lead.

5:31 pm: Kemp hits another three before halftime. Memphis is now 7 for 10 beyond the arc. Ohio State leads, 41-38. Ohio State seemed to do a good job of frustrating the Tigers on defense, but it looks like Memphis has figured them out. They certainly have had it easier in Greg Oden’s absence. The Buckeyes will need him to stay out of foul trouble in the second half.

5:53 pm: 43-38, OSU. Oden starts the second half the way he starts the first. He gets a quick basket inside, catching Memphis out of position. On the next possession Butler alley oops it to Lewis. 45-38, OSU.

CDR’s layup rolls around the rim three times before falling in. 47-44, OSU.

6:03 pm: 49-44, OSU. Lewis hits a three…or does he? The refs call it a two, but I disagree.

6:04 pm: 49-47, OSU. Wow. Hunt can really run the fast break.

Official timeout.

6:09 pm: 49-48, OSU. Allen and CDR are on the floor with three fouls.

6:12 pm: 52-51, Memphis. CDR puts the Tigers back on top with a great crossover, drive and floater from the left side.

Memphis has been getting all of the rebounds while Oden has been on the bench.

6:15 pm: 56-51, Memphis. Oden comes back in. 12:30 left.

6:16 pm: 56-54, Memphis. Oden’s impact is almost immediate. He kicks out a pass to Butler for a wide open three, and then he gets a block (goaltending?) on the next Memphis possession.

6:17 pm: 58-54, Memphis. Anderson hits an outside shot. It’s good to see that he’s recovered from that elbow to the head.

6:21 pm: 58-56, Memphis. Dorsey is out with foul trouble. He hasn’t seemed to be a factor at all.

6:23 pm: 60-57, Memphis. CDR has taken over the second half.

6:24 pm: 60-60. Just as I say that, CDR commits a stupid foul. Oden is going to make that shot no matter what, but he tries to tackle him. He’s called for the intentional foul, his fourth, and Oden gets the basket and two free throw opportunities. He misses one, preventing the lead.

6:28 pm: 66-64, OSU. With seven and a half minutes left, that layup by Daequan Cook was way too easy.

6:30 pm: Tomorrow on the Amazing Race…we’re going to Zanzibar! To meet the ZanziBarbarians!

6:32 pm: 69-64, OSU. Butler hits a loooooong three. Which reminds me, Memphis hasn’t been hitting their outside shots in the second half.

6:34 pm: 71-64, OSU. Greg Oden has played extremely well since returning with 12 minutes left. We’re down to 5:30 in the game.

6:36 pm: 74-64, OSU. Oden was able to get the ball out of his double team, and Lewis was able to hit a wide open three. The lead is now double digits. 4:30 left.

6:42 pm: 76-69, OSU, 3:15 left. Just as things are looking bleak for the Tigers, Hunt hits another three. He has 26 points in the game.

6:44 pm: 78-72, OSU, 2:30 left. Anderson makes a great pass to Kemp for another three to make it a two possession game, but CDR and Andre Allen have fouled out.

6:47 pm: 82-72, OSU, 2:09 left. Ohio State seems to be salting the game away at the free throw line, but where is that blood-curdling scream coming from? I don’t know what that means, but it sounds bad.

6:48 pm: 82-74, OSU, 1:56 left. A good drive inside by Dozier, but is it too little, too late?

6:51 pm: 86-74, OSU, 1:12 left. Memphis’s shots have stopped falling, and this game is pretty much over.

6:56 pm: The game ends. Ohio State wins, 92-76. The Buckeyes are moving on to the Final Four, and if UNC wins tomorrow, the Bucks will be our opponent, and frankly, I’m not looking forward to facing them. Even when Oden is neutralized, their guards do a really good job of picking up the slack.